Stationary ceramic couch device with water spray cleaning nozzles

Claim 1

In the paper forming section of a papermaking machine having a first end, a second end, a porous belt on which a fibrous web is formed at said first end and removing means for removing said fibrous web from said paper forming section at said second end; a couch roll replacement device for dewatering said fibrous web and for changing the direction of travel of said porous belt and said fibrous web, said couch replacement device being located in said paper forming section adjacent to and upstream of said removing means and comprising: a solid abrasion resistant ceramic element having a continuously convex upper surface in contact with the underside of said porous belt, said convex upper surface thereby changing the direction of travel of said porous belt and said fibrous web, the ceramic element further comprising a lower surface and a plurality of elongated slotted apertures, some of said plurality of elongated slotted apertures terminating directly adjacent the side edges of the ceramic element, said elongated slotted apertures connecting said upper surface with said lower surface; water spraying means associated with each elongated slotted aperture of said plurality of elongated slotted apertures for spraying water into each of said elongated slotted aperture for dislodging fines collected therein: said water spray means comprising a plurality of nozzles wherein at least one nozzle is associated with each of said elongated slotted apertures, a header located near an edge of said ceramic element and a plurality of holes in said ceramic element for communicating said header with said plurality of nozzles. vacuum box means having a single vacuum chamber connected to said ceramic element for providing a uniform high vacuum which acts through all of said plurality of elongated slotted apertures and through said porous belt on said fibrous web to extract water therefrom; and sealing deckle means located along each side of the ceramic element, said deckle means cooperating with said elongated slotted apertures which terminate directly adjacent the side edges of said ceramic element so as to seal off any portion of said elongated slotted apertures not directly under said fibrous web so as to maintain said uniform high vacuum within the ceramic element and vacuum box combination so that said high vacuum is applied uniformly through all of said plurality of said elongated slotted apertures to said fibrous web.